Why Hunger Matters: an overview from Irish Aid

Here's an insightful overview of the bigger picture which gets painted by systemic undernourishment from Irish Aid, Ireland's governmental development agency:

One in seven people in the world suffer from hunger, while a further one
in three people are undernourished. The fight against global hunger and
undernutrition is a key component of Ireland’s foreign policy and our
international aid programme. While we provide emergency assistance in
response to hunger and nutrition crises, our main focus is on the
prevention of such crises.

"Most people associate hunger in developing countries with the images of extreme starvation and famine often seen on TV or online in the aftermath of disaster or conflict.

Far less attention is given to the devastating effects of long-term chronic hunger and malnutrition suffered by 870 million of the world’s poorest people, most of who live in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia.

Although the world produces enough food to feed everyone, it is estimated that one in seven people do not get enough food to live a healthy life. Poor people are most at risk of hunger. It can impact on all areas of their lives, trapping them in a poverty spiral.

People who are undernourished are less resistant to diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, making treatment less effective. In the case of children, we know it can affect their ability to learn and concentrate in school.

On a wider scale, environmental damage and climate change continues to degrade the land of people already at risk, destroying their crops."